A man remains in serious condition after he was shot by Baltimore police officers while wielding a knifelike object that turned out to be a kitchen spatula, a city police spokesman said.
The injured man, who has not been identified, called police and stated he wanted to kill himself but did not know how, said spokesman Anthony Guglielmi. He asked for a member of the clergy as well as his mother.
Two police officers and paramedics responded to a parking lot in the 2400 block of Bridgehampton Drive just after 6 a.m., while it was still dark outside, Guglielmi said.
The man confronted them there, raising what appeared to be a knifelike object, the spokesman said. Paramedics retreated for safety reasons, but he charged at police, who ordered him to drop the weapon, Guglielmi said.
When he failed to obey their commands, the two officers opened fire, striking him several times in the torso, the spokesman said.
The man, in his 50s, was taken to Sinai Hospital for treatment, Guglielmi said.
Homicide detectives are investigating the incident, as they do all police-involved shootings. The two officers, both from the Northeast District, have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, Guglielmi said
One officer, age 25, joined the force in April 2008; the other officer, 27, started in February 2008.
